There is a lot of talk in the world about what we can and cannot do as Christians in order to make it into heaven. My heart was deeply disturbed when I read an article in May's issue of Ebony entitled, "Single, Saved-and Having Sex." Honestly the title alone bothered me. I just pray that no one has allowed themselves to fall because of this article. I just want to scream, "Open your eyes!" Can't you see that this goes against the word?! It's time to stand up for righteousness! It's time to address those closet issues that the church chooses to ignore.
Sex, before marriage is one thing that God clearly addresses in the bible. Everywhere that I've read about it in the Word speaks against it. Now, for this article to tell Christians that it's okay for them to fornicate (have sex before marriage) and that they will still make it into heaven is an outrage. In fact, one of the persons quoted says this, "I strive to live a righteous life. Just because I have a Bible on my nightstand and condoms in the drawer doesn't mean I love God any less or that He doesn't love me." Now you can still love God, that is true. But you are in fact loving Him less because you aren't walking according to what He commanded. He says in John 14:15 "If you love me, obey my commandments" (NLT). That scripture is very clear, so if you're walking contrary to God's word you are not loving Him. That is not to say that you won't mess up, but let's be clear if you are unmarried and confessing to be a Christian, and continuing to have sex then you are wrong.
Fornication, is a dangerous sin to become trapped in for many reasons. One of the main reasons is because it is sinning against your own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 says, "Run from sexual sin! No other sin clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body" (NLT). Here Paul is addressing the church at Corinth, but it still applies today. This is one of the main sins that can affect your body, just think of all of the STDs (now called STIs) you can get, HIV/Aids which is a huge epidemic, and unwanted pregnancies that are physical outcomes of fornication. And add onto that the ungodly soul ties that are even more dangerous to your spirit man.
A soul tie is often formed during sex, the two become one not only because of a physical act but because their souls have become connected. 1 Corinthians 6:15-17 say this: "Don't you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute. Never! And don't you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, 'The two are united into one.' But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him" (NLT). So if anyone has ever told you that you can just have sexual relations without any type of attachment forming they are lying to you. Any time you sleep with someone you are becoming one with that person. Also, you are sleeping with whoever they have slept with in the past. So when you find yourself struggling with depression, rage, jealousy, anything out of the ordinary you might be dealing with what those other people before you struggled with. Just imagine if one of the others was carrying a disease, you have now become susceptible to that. Mind you, I want you to concentrate on the spiritual reality of the situation. You are weakening your relationship with Christ by fornicating. Paul says that those who are joined to the Lord are one spirit with him, but if you are joining yourself to others then you are blocking your connection line to Him.
When we allow our flesh to rise we are blocking our communication line. The flesh is something that we have to deal with until we leave this earth; there is no way around it! But what we must do is kill our flesh daily, by the renewing of our minds. Then, we will be able to hear clearly from God.
The article went on to talk about how Christians are "foregoing abstinence" while in the church. This is dangerous because the Bible clearly warns against this. There is no way to argue around the situation. At a few points in my life, I contemplated my stand on abstinence but I never swayed and I'm so glad I didn't. I have been wearing a "True Love Waits" ring since the age of 13/14, and although I faced many circumstances where I came close to giving up, I held tight to my decision to wait. In the back of my mind I always knew that fornication was wrong. I thank God for a youth department that decided to speak the truth and tell us what the word had to say about being pure. It's not impossible to remain abstinent in this day and age. You must be persistent and confident in your choice because there will be some who try to challenge you, but stand tall. When you look at all that God has to say about fornication, you will realize that waiting isn't that bad. You are giving yourself completely to God, mind, body, and soul until the day when it comes time for you to become one with the man or woman that He has provided solely for you. There is something so beautiful about waiting for God, that I couldn't imagine choosing to do otherwise when I know better. Especially when I know that God only gives me His best.
Now, I understand that a lot of my brothers and sisters have fallen to fornication. But that is not the sole issue, the issue is lying there and not attempting to get up. We all sin, we all fall sometimes, but we must ask God for forgiveness and turn away from that sin. God is our keeper, and He has given us a guide through His Holy Spirit. You must also allow yourself to be planted and rooted in a church that is preaching the word of God (without any additions or deletions) and let Him grow you while you're there. If you are struggling with sexual sin you need to ask the Lord to help you. He will not abandon you and leave you to fight that spirit of lust by yourself. Find an accountability partner! This is very important, although you might be able to handle some things on your own...you can't handle everything on your own. Find someone who is stronger than you in the faith, and ask them to pray with you and to help you remain faithful to the Lord's commands. Before you choose this person make sure that you pray and ask God for confirmation. There is nothing worse than trying to find an accountability partner and finding yourself mixed up with someone who is just trying to spread your business through the church. In all things...PRAY. Never stop seeking God. Ask Him to allow you to see yourself as He sees you. Open your eyes, and begin to see sin through God's eyes.
I love Heather Lindsey's ministry, and here is a status that she posted just yesterday via facebook concerning abstinence. "It blows my mind that the enemy can have a virgin thinking that there's
something wrong with her because she hasn't had sex yet or a "real"
boyfriend. Sis, you just saved time, energy, 30 seconds, medicine for
STD's, a broken heart, unplanned pregnancies & so much more! You're
RARE in this society & God would love to use you to encourage others
to honor God with their body. Don't run off to give yourself away to
"feel normal"- you don't want that kinda "normal"- its dysfunctional,
empty & will have you so messed up. You're one-day husband is going
to be honored that you waited. You belong to Christ & no other human
deserves your body until they pay the price for it called marriage.
Stay focused. ❤" I just love this because she is so real! And this is something that needs to be said especially when the world is trying to tell you otherwise.
Be Encouraged,
God's Servant
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Are you being REAL?
Appearance is important to a lot of people. And whether you realize it or not, appearance goes way beyond dress to include how we act in front of others. Unfortunately, I've found that a lot of people, even in the church, seem to be two separate people the majority of the time. While at church they act one way, and when they get home they are someone completely different. One thing that my Bishops and Pastors have always asked is: "Does your audio match your video?" In other words are your speech and actions lining up and matching each other? More importantly are your speech and actions lining up with the Word of God and His plan for your life?
This is a heavy charge that we have been dealt, but it isn't impossible to fulfill. We just need to insure that we purpose ourselves to walk right everyday and that we ask for assistance from our willing helper, the Holy Spirit. I wake up every morning (at least I try to) and during my time in devotion, I ask the Holy Spirit to give me the words to say and to lead me where I should go. There isn't a point in my day where I want to act as just Shaneeca. Not only would I be allowing my flesh to reign but I would be ignoring whatever mission God had for me that day. So if there ever is a time (and trust me there will be), when you are tempted to say something that you know is completely wrong you need to cast that thought down. It is out of the character of a Christian and you need to consult God, and ask Him to give you what to say. It's not like God will ignore you. He will give you what He wants you to say, and also He will let you know if you should be quiet. Your main question should be: "Are you be pleased with my talk?" And the same goes for our walk. Our desire should be for God to be pleased with everything that we do.
Colossians 3:23 says, "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than people" (NLT). So everything that you are doing should be for God and not man. You are not working just to receive man's approval, don't be fooled! The only one that matters is God! He is the one who holds your very breath in His hands, and He is the one who can take it away. Even if others try to rise against you, the weapon will not prosper unless He allows it. So let's get to the point here, it is essential that we are real with others. Why, you may ask?
Whether you believe it or not, people are looking at you! And not only are they watching, but they are looking for examples of righteous living. I'm not saying that you should walk around like you are as holy as they come, but people should be able to look at your lifestyle and know that it is possible to live without compromising. As a Christian you are a living example of God's word, at least you should be. When Christ was here He was an example of righteous living. He wasn't saying one thing and then doing another. I'm not trying to point the finger at anyone, but it is important that we live what we preach!
There have been quite a few times that I have had to deliver apologies to friends that I may have led astray because of my actions, but thank God He opened my eyes before they were lost completely. God places people in our lives for a reason. A lot of the time people are merely watching you and the things you do. They don't always need to hear something from you, but seeing you working without complaining is a testimony of God's word. When they witness you talking the same inside and outside of church that is a testimony of God's word. Whenever someone sees you helping your brother or sister, that is indeed a testimony of God's word. It's time out for saying one thing and doing the complete opposite. It's like you can't make up your mind about what you want to do! And God doesn't find any glory in that. In fact, Revelations 3:15-16 says this: "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!" (NLT). So be very careful about acting funny! We have to make sure that our attention is fixed on God.
When we shift our attention back to God and His acceptance then appearance becomes less important. It is then when our actions will start to look the same no matter who's looking. Because then we will only care about the one who sees at all times...GOD.
I believe with all my heart that we are living in the last and evil days, and that the Lord is soon to return! It's time out for playing church. This is the time to form a relationship with Jesus for yourself. I can honestly say that getting closer to God has been the best thing for me. Before I took the time to read my word everyday, and have quiet time with God I felt like something was missing. Now, I was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. But I wasn't giving God any of my time, instead I was looking for things that I could busy myself with. Now, more than ever I am looking for His approval before I move out. I don't say things just to say them, but I can honestly say that I am being REAL. Not just with myself, but with others. One of the worst things you can do, is confuse someone on this walk and be the reason they do not make it to heaven. Please, don't be that person! Be real, and show your brothers and sisters that it is possible to make it in. I want to hear my Lord say, "Well done, my faithful servant!" not "Depart from me, for I know you not!" What will He say to you on that day? That is what it's all about...it's not about how good you look on Sunday; how well you can sing, or dance; but it's about making it into heaven where you can live eternally.
Be Encouraged,
God's Servant
P.S. Greet the Holy Spirit every morning. He was sent here to be our comforter and helper. So much changes when you choose to acknowledge Him, and begin to ask for the help that you need! Walk in love, and be an example of righteous living. Be REAL.
This is a heavy charge that we have been dealt, but it isn't impossible to fulfill. We just need to insure that we purpose ourselves to walk right everyday and that we ask for assistance from our willing helper, the Holy Spirit. I wake up every morning (at least I try to) and during my time in devotion, I ask the Holy Spirit to give me the words to say and to lead me where I should go. There isn't a point in my day where I want to act as just Shaneeca. Not only would I be allowing my flesh to reign but I would be ignoring whatever mission God had for me that day. So if there ever is a time (and trust me there will be), when you are tempted to say something that you know is completely wrong you need to cast that thought down. It is out of the character of a Christian and you need to consult God, and ask Him to give you what to say. It's not like God will ignore you. He will give you what He wants you to say, and also He will let you know if you should be quiet. Your main question should be: "Are you be pleased with my talk?" And the same goes for our walk. Our desire should be for God to be pleased with everything that we do.
Colossians 3:23 says, "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than people" (NLT). So everything that you are doing should be for God and not man. You are not working just to receive man's approval, don't be fooled! The only one that matters is God! He is the one who holds your very breath in His hands, and He is the one who can take it away. Even if others try to rise against you, the weapon will not prosper unless He allows it. So let's get to the point here, it is essential that we are real with others. Why, you may ask?
Whether you believe it or not, people are looking at you! And not only are they watching, but they are looking for examples of righteous living. I'm not saying that you should walk around like you are as holy as they come, but people should be able to look at your lifestyle and know that it is possible to live without compromising. As a Christian you are a living example of God's word, at least you should be. When Christ was here He was an example of righteous living. He wasn't saying one thing and then doing another. I'm not trying to point the finger at anyone, but it is important that we live what we preach!
There have been quite a few times that I have had to deliver apologies to friends that I may have led astray because of my actions, but thank God He opened my eyes before they were lost completely. God places people in our lives for a reason. A lot of the time people are merely watching you and the things you do. They don't always need to hear something from you, but seeing you working without complaining is a testimony of God's word. When they witness you talking the same inside and outside of church that is a testimony of God's word. Whenever someone sees you helping your brother or sister, that is indeed a testimony of God's word. It's time out for saying one thing and doing the complete opposite. It's like you can't make up your mind about what you want to do! And God doesn't find any glory in that. In fact, Revelations 3:15-16 says this: "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!" (NLT). So be very careful about acting funny! We have to make sure that our attention is fixed on God.
When we shift our attention back to God and His acceptance then appearance becomes less important. It is then when our actions will start to look the same no matter who's looking. Because then we will only care about the one who sees at all times...GOD.
I believe with all my heart that we are living in the last and evil days, and that the Lord is soon to return! It's time out for playing church. This is the time to form a relationship with Jesus for yourself. I can honestly say that getting closer to God has been the best thing for me. Before I took the time to read my word everyday, and have quiet time with God I felt like something was missing. Now, I was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. But I wasn't giving God any of my time, instead I was looking for things that I could busy myself with. Now, more than ever I am looking for His approval before I move out. I don't say things just to say them, but I can honestly say that I am being REAL. Not just with myself, but with others. One of the worst things you can do, is confuse someone on this walk and be the reason they do not make it to heaven. Please, don't be that person! Be real, and show your brothers and sisters that it is possible to make it in. I want to hear my Lord say, "Well done, my faithful servant!" not "Depart from me, for I know you not!" What will He say to you on that day? That is what it's all about...it's not about how good you look on Sunday; how well you can sing, or dance; but it's about making it into heaven where you can live eternally.
Be Encouraged,
God's Servant
P.S. Greet the Holy Spirit every morning. He was sent here to be our comforter and helper. So much changes when you choose to acknowledge Him, and begin to ask for the help that you need! Walk in love, and be an example of righteous living. Be REAL.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Stand Guard
I don't know if you realize it, but everyday we live we are in a battle. But what's so important about this battle is that we cannot fight it with our hands, instead we are fighting against "evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against might powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). So this is why it is very important that we are standing guard, and that we prepare ourselves for battle. As I continue on this journey and get closer to God I have realized that I am finally doing my part in preparing for battle. When you begin to seek God on a daily basis and delve into His word you are able to find strength and encouragement to sustain you in the midst of the battle.
One thing that we can be sure of is that we will be attacked by the enemy. Now mind you that everything that happens in your life is for a purpose, and you can't go around blaming everything on the enemy. Just blame him for the things that he is truly responsible for. Instead of trying to figure out where to point the finger, we must pay attention and ensure that we are battle ready.
One reason why I say is God is so awesome is because He has provided us with armor so that we can be protected. Again, this armor is not physical but it exists in the spiritual. Ephesians 6:13-17 tell us what makes up our armor, and this armor covers us from head to toe so nothing is left out. "Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (NLT). Take out some time to do an armor check. Soldiers can't go to battle improperly dressed and expect to be successful, and since we are a part of God's Army we must ensure that we are properly equipped.
You have probably heard this multiple times before, but don't take this lightly! We are living in a day and age where we need to make sure that we make a conscience decision everyday to cover ourselves, that way we don't allow the enemy a foothold in our lives. In ourselves we are weak, but through God we are made strong. We must make sure that when we are preparing for battle that we are constantly praying that God's will be done. Also, remember the scripture calls the Word of God our sword.
Since the Word is our main weapon we have to make sure that we are reading it on a daily basis. I pray that you get to a point in your life where you just want more of God. Then in that moment your main desire will be to sit at the feet of Jesus, like Mary did in Luke 10:39 (We'll go into further detail in a later discussion). In your prayer time ask God to show you which spots in your armor are weak and need to be built up. Are you walking in confidence that your armor will be able to resist the fiery darts of the enemy? If not, then there is room for improvement. Stand guard!
Be Encouraged,
God's Servant
One thing that we can be sure of is that we will be attacked by the enemy. Now mind you that everything that happens in your life is for a purpose, and you can't go around blaming everything on the enemy. Just blame him for the things that he is truly responsible for. Instead of trying to figure out where to point the finger, we must pay attention and ensure that we are battle ready.
One reason why I say is God is so awesome is because He has provided us with armor so that we can be protected. Again, this armor is not physical but it exists in the spiritual. Ephesians 6:13-17 tell us what makes up our armor, and this armor covers us from head to toe so nothing is left out. "Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (NLT). Take out some time to do an armor check. Soldiers can't go to battle improperly dressed and expect to be successful, and since we are a part of God's Army we must ensure that we are properly equipped.
You have probably heard this multiple times before, but don't take this lightly! We are living in a day and age where we need to make sure that we make a conscience decision everyday to cover ourselves, that way we don't allow the enemy a foothold in our lives. In ourselves we are weak, but through God we are made strong. We must make sure that when we are preparing for battle that we are constantly praying that God's will be done. Also, remember the scripture calls the Word of God our sword.
Since the Word is our main weapon we have to make sure that we are reading it on a daily basis. I pray that you get to a point in your life where you just want more of God. Then in that moment your main desire will be to sit at the feet of Jesus, like Mary did in Luke 10:39 (We'll go into further detail in a later discussion). In your prayer time ask God to show you which spots in your armor are weak and need to be built up. Are you walking in confidence that your armor will be able to resist the fiery darts of the enemy? If not, then there is room for improvement. Stand guard!
Be Encouraged,
God's Servant
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Do You Really Believe?
There seems to be so much going on in the world today. I mean there is so much turmoil in the news on a daily basis. But are you praying? More importantly, do you believe that God will answer the prayers that you are sending up? I know that we've heard it plenty of times...but we are indeed living in the last & evil days. Children are turning against their parents, and vice versa. Sexual abomination is covered in the news and has made its way into the churches, but more disturbing than that we are living in the midst of an uproar and it appears that we (the church) are silent. Now, I'm not saying that you need to be running around like John the Baptist, screaming out and telling everyone to repent (unless God instructs you to do so). But if you're not openly sharing the good news with others, or walking this thing out then we should be praying. During Bible study this past week we were discussing walking in authority and it was mentioned more than once that, "silence is compliance." Even if we are not led to say anything verbally we can still send up a prayer, even silently and you are not being compliant. But we must believe in God, that He will answer that prayer.
So many of us Christians claim that we have faith, but we send up prayers that we don't even believe in. When you look at all the people that Jesus healed in the Gospels the key to their healing was their belief. One case is found in Matthew 8:5-13, the passage is called "The Faith of a Roman Officer" in some versions, in my bible (Life Application Study Bible, NLT) it is called "A Roman Officer Demonstrates Faith."Here we are able to see just how powerful our faith has the potential to be. Now, in the case of the Roman officer he came to Jesus pleading on the behalf of one of his servants who had fallen ill. And even though Jesus said, "I will come and heal him" (Matthew 8:7b, NLT) the Roman officer said no. He felt unworthy to have Jesus come into his home...but he didn't leave it at that. He said, "Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed" (Matthew 8:8). Because he believed in Jesus his servant was healed that same hour (verse 13).
Unfortunately, a lot of us are like the opposite of the Roman officer. Instead of understanding and believing that God can speak a word from where He is, and the situation will be changed we are too busy waiting for Him to come to where we are whether it be at home, or on the job and perform a miracle. Then when God does answer us, or acts on our behalf and He comes in a completely different way than we expected we have the nerve to be upset with Him. But if we really believed in God like we say we do then we would know that He is more than capable of answering our prayers.
I worry that we have begun to utter prayers out of habit, instead of with expectancy. When you expect God to do something then you actually believe in Him. If we really believed like we say we do, then we would be able to speak the word in any situation. Instead of presenting God a laundry list prayer, then our prayers would be filled with His word. We would recognize that what He speaks won't return to Him void, but accomplish everything that He sent it out to do (Isaiah 55:11).
The key to answered prayers is faith! Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see" (NLT). The note in my bible says this: "The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character: He is who he says. The end point is believing in God's promises: He will do what he says. When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we don't see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith (John 20:24-31)" [Life Application Study Bible, NLT)]. So again, do you really believe?? Can you stand on God's word to be true? Then we must begin to walk as such. It's important that we believe in the power of God! Then we will be able to testify of His greatness to those that are unaware. And we will be able to take the world by storm. The church will not be overtaken by generational curses, illnesses, and poverty because not only will we speak the word over our lives but we will believe that it is true!
Be Encouraged,
God's Servant
So many of us Christians claim that we have faith, but we send up prayers that we don't even believe in. When you look at all the people that Jesus healed in the Gospels the key to their healing was their belief. One case is found in Matthew 8:5-13, the passage is called "The Faith of a Roman Officer" in some versions, in my bible (Life Application Study Bible, NLT) it is called "A Roman Officer Demonstrates Faith."Here we are able to see just how powerful our faith has the potential to be. Now, in the case of the Roman officer he came to Jesus pleading on the behalf of one of his servants who had fallen ill. And even though Jesus said, "I will come and heal him" (Matthew 8:7b, NLT) the Roman officer said no. He felt unworthy to have Jesus come into his home...but he didn't leave it at that. He said, "Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed" (Matthew 8:8). Because he believed in Jesus his servant was healed that same hour (verse 13).
Unfortunately, a lot of us are like the opposite of the Roman officer. Instead of understanding and believing that God can speak a word from where He is, and the situation will be changed we are too busy waiting for Him to come to where we are whether it be at home, or on the job and perform a miracle. Then when God does answer us, or acts on our behalf and He comes in a completely different way than we expected we have the nerve to be upset with Him. But if we really believed in God like we say we do then we would know that He is more than capable of answering our prayers.
I worry that we have begun to utter prayers out of habit, instead of with expectancy. When you expect God to do something then you actually believe in Him. If we really believed like we say we do, then we would be able to speak the word in any situation. Instead of presenting God a laundry list prayer, then our prayers would be filled with His word. We would recognize that what He speaks won't return to Him void, but accomplish everything that He sent it out to do (Isaiah 55:11).
The key to answered prayers is faith! Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see" (NLT). The note in my bible says this: "The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character: He is who he says. The end point is believing in God's promises: He will do what he says. When we believe that God will fulfill his promises even though we don't see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith (John 20:24-31)" [Life Application Study Bible, NLT)]. So again, do you really believe?? Can you stand on God's word to be true? Then we must begin to walk as such. It's important that we believe in the power of God! Then we will be able to testify of His greatness to those that are unaware. And we will be able to take the world by storm. The church will not be overtaken by generational curses, illnesses, and poverty because not only will we speak the word over our lives but we will believe that it is true!
Be Encouraged,
God's Servant
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